Indoor archery range opens downtown (8 photos)

The Sault North Archery Club opened the doors over the weekend to its indoor archery range downstairs in Square 1 Mall.

Everyone was welcome to come and meet members of the club, see what they do and give it a try.

Several families, about 50 people in all, did just that.

Among them was the Vilaca family.

Mom and dad brought Ethan and Johnathon to see what the point to all this archery practice was.

Johnathon liked it a lot.

So did dad and mom, Tracy Vilaca (shown).

Also on hand to show their stuff and give some pointers was Ron Desrochers from Western Automotive and a few other knowledgeable folks from area archery equipment vendors.

Desrochers was even kind enough to let SooToday.com reporter Carol Martin have a go at it with a compound bow and crossbow.

I pierced the deer target's ear with the bow but landed an eight-point shot on the target's ribs with the crossbow.

But today was an exception to the rule.

The Sault North Archery Club doesn't generally allow practise with crossbows on its indoor 25-yard range.

Probably because, even from 25 yards away, the crossbow bolt went clean through the target and into the guard board behind it.

The club meets the first Wednesday of every month.

During the winter it meets at the indoor range.